IRVING — The same attributes that have carried DeMarcus Ware to the precipice of the Cowboys’ career sack record have helped him dearly in his pursuit of fame and fortune away from the football field.

Pride, preparation, punctuality and politeness have propelled him to the title of pitchman extraordinaire. From the hush-hush world of adult diapers to the frenetic universe of action drinks, Ware is the man when national sponsors look to Cowboys.

Depend disposables meets Red Bull energy in Ware’s world.

OK, maybe Ware cares little about politeness when he is in the express lane to the quarterback, but he seldom has been penalized for roughing the passer. Ware, who is one shy of Harvey Martin’s unofficial Cowboys record, has 113 sacks and only seven roughing the passer penalties in his eight-plus seasons in the league.

From 2008 to 2010, he was credited with 46½ sacks and wasn’t flagged once for roughing the passer. If that’s not polite, what is?

Just last week, Ware who also counts Nationwide insurance, Papa John’s pizza, Reebok and GMC trucks in his portfolio, turned down two six-figure promotional opportunities, according to his pitchman for such things, Kevin McGuire of Sports Trust Advisors in Atlanta.

A deal with AT&T is in the works, added McGuire, vice president of marketing at Sports Trust.

Never a diva

So why Ware, a linebacker turned lineman, in the football endorsement world dominated by those who play what are referred to as skill positions — quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers?

“It’s a testament to DeMarcus,” McGuire said. “I wish I could sprinkle magic dust on all clients to make them marketable. He just has it.”

“It” isn’t hard to detect. Behind a broad smile and a soft voice, Ware comes off as a gentle giant much like Shaquille O’Neal in front of cameras. He plays a menacing position but there is no glower when the helmet comes off.

“First and foremost, ‘it’ is dependent on his performance on the field,” McGuire said.

Ware’s seven trips to the Pro Bowl and four selections to the All-Pro team take care of that issue. Every week he seems to climb the league-wide list for all-time sacks. The Cowboys pay him well for his efforts. He is in the midst of a seven-year, $78 million contract. The endorsement life, where each averages six figures, is the pièce de résistance for his efforts.

“And then he is friendly when [potential sponsors meet him], professional and never a diva,” McGuire said. “He always knows his lines and is always where he is supposed to be on time.

“That’s not every athlete.”

Well-prepared

Ware said he learned the polite essentials of what he refers to as “business” back in college at Troy. He began to implement them during his rookie season with the Cowboys.

He considers what were relatively primitive autograph sessions for Topps trading cards his first endorsement deal.

“They paid me to sign my name,” Ware said. “I thought about all those times I wrote my name on the blackboard in detention for nothing, and I realized this was a blessing.”

In the not so wide world of athletic endorsements, word of Ware’s ways has gotten around.

He studies each and every product he is asked to endorse. He asks any information he might need relative to a photo or video shoot be sent to him two weeks in advance. He pours over what he will be asked to do as if it was a game plan.

“Then when I walk in the door, I know what I am doing,” Ware said. “I feel like I am part of the team from the day I meet everyone.”

Hans Stolfus, athlete marketing manager for Red Bull, said Ware’s persona was vital to bringing him on board.

“We’re not Gatorade,” he said, referring to a company he previously worked with. “It’s more important to us who the athlete is, not the sport he represents.”

Stolfus said there is specific scientific formula for finding athletes to represent products.

“We believe 42 percent of the algorithm is based on personality,” he said.

Stolfus said Red Bull met with several athletes in Dallas before concluding it wanted a Cowboy.

“When we decided that, we thought it would be an offensive player, a quarterback, wide receiver or running back,” Stolfus said. “But then we met DeMarcus.”

Soon after, Red Bull discovered how easy it is to work with Ware.

“Mainstream athletes are mostly prima donnas,” Stolfus said. “DeMarcus is not like that. Never once has he told us he couldn’t do something for us. We freakin’ love him.”

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